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TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MANIPATI-CARITA
-Now the bala-bhāvanā : 602. Suppose that the physical strength of a man endowed
with tapas, jñāna and bhāvanā declines, even though his body grows fat, yet will he strive so that steadfast
ness remains. 603. If a whole host of parīşahas were to arise with upasargas
making the path hard to endure because of its impetus
and inspiring fear in the faint-hearted, 604. he whose loins are tightly girded with steadfastness, who
is pure and unperturbed and steadfast in bala-bhāvanā
will fulfil his aim. 605. All these meditations are accompanied by the strength of
steadfastness : nothing is efficacious that is not carried
out by a steadfast man. 606. The sūri Susthita stood meditating on this sattva-bhāvanā.
All the people in Rājagsha had gone 607. to Abhaya's vehicle yard and were engaged in the mäsa--
kalpa. Not finding the necklace prince Abhaya thought
in his heart :. 608. The necklace is not yet found and the evening of the
seventh day is passing. What the king will do at
daybreak I do not know.' 509. Then in the company of the sādhus carrying out the
pauşadha with mind tranquillized and absorbed in meditation on the sacred doctrine I will spend this
whole night. 610. Discarding jewels and gold, abandoning sandalwood and
unguents, scanning the ground, he engaged in the
paușadha there. 611. The moon was like a lump of butter within the container
of the firmament and the earth, butter produced by the churning of the curds of the moonlight by the dairy
maid that is the full moon. 612. This ball of the moon emerged from the Orient Mountain
through the śveta-pakşa which was gradually released by the twelve bhūtas.
